Why can Tuvan people not be long out of Tuva? Why do strangers who visit this
land want to come back again? What does this ancient place have so attracting
and so luring? Maybe from here, far from civilization and large noisy cities
and main roads, it is possible to sense the breath of nature and history - to
stop time and motion, looking on ancient mounds and majestic rocks to track
the development of Earth and Human culture. Fathomless skies and endless valleys,
sharp mountains and swift rivers, black-eyed beauties and frisky racehorses.
Life and fight, love and death, freedom and independence... So is the world-outlooking
subconscious of the Tuvan person and our songs on the new disk are about that.
I hope it will help you understand the soul of the people, their music and to
accomplish a journey through time and space.
Peace and Harmony to everybody.
Albert Kuvezin and "YAT-KHA"
KALDAK-KHAMAR
music - trad arr. A. Kuvezin
lyrics - Salchak Toka
The name of a mountain pass through Tannu-Ola range at the south part
of Tuva. In 1933-1934 the road from Kyzyl (capital) to region on Mongolian
border was built; and on this pass for one year people were digging
using only simple tools like picks, spades, hand-trolleys and enthusiasm.
Now it is road of state importance connecting Siberia, Tuva and Mongolia.
The lyrics written by first General Secretary of Communist Party of
then-independent state of "Tannu Touva". Salchak Toka, leader of the
Government and also one of the great writers of classic Tuvan literature
- a Soviet Union State Prizewinner. This song about wish and striving
to dig out Kaldak-Khamar pass, to build a smooth road and to rush by
an iron devil-car like a kite.
KHEMCHIM
music - trad arr. A. Kuvezin
lyrics - trad
It means "my Khemchik" the name of a river in the western part of Tuva
running to Ulug-Khem Yenisei and the name of two regions along this
river. The lyrics are about beauty and richness of the nature which
gives people the possibility to live, joy and hope.
DYNGYLDAI
music - A. Laptan
lyrics - A. Laptan
This song was composed during the time of "developed socialism" in
Tuva when people had a strong faith in a joyous, happy future and work
and these feelings were reflected in their art. Like many songs from
that time it is about pride for the industrious Tuvan people. It compares
the coming future with a sunrise to which a rider is galloping.
ÖPEI KHOOMEI
music - trad arr. Aldyn-ool Sevek
lyrics - Aldyn-ool Sevek
A lullaby sung in khoomei style. Interesting that rhythmical and melodical
figures of this lullaby are similar to ritual tunes of shamans and shepherds
when they call to their young sheep and cows. Maybe because everything
came out of one cradle - Earth & Nature.
KAZHAN TÖREN KARAM BOLUR
music - A. Kuvezin
lyrics - trad
When was she born? About a girlfriend who has the eyes bright like
an evening star (Venus) and her plaits soft, thick and long like a cedar
tree in the taiga.
KEERGINCHIK
music - trad arr. A. Kuvezin
lyrics - trad
In the second half of the XIX century in Tuva there was a people's
insurrection against Chinese, Mongolian and Tuvan oppressors that got
the title: "The Revolt of the 60 Fugitives". After three years of a
struggle it was cruelly surpressed and the participants were punished
after agonizing tortures. Then the leaders were taken to China and killed.
This song is a sadness about those heroes and is dedicated to those
events.
CHARASH KARAA
music trad arr. A. Kuvezin
lyrics trad
The Beauty, wherever she will be - never forget my beauty, my girlfriend.
HÖNDERGEI
music - trad arr. A. Kuvezin
lyrics - trad
The name of a mountain river and village at its mouth. This place is
very good for raising cattle. The song describes how wonderful and rich
the nature is in this place.
YDYK BUURA
music - trad arr. A. Kuvezin
lyrics - trad
"From the top of Buura mountain everything is visible, even to the
steppes of Mongolia. It would be good to have a few sheep, and if there's
a bloody brother it will turn out badly for the rich feudal lord." A
rebel song by a Kaigal (means brave boy - Tuva's version of Robin Hood)
on his trusty horse, high on the Holy Mountain, safe from the guards
of the feudal oppressors.
SODOM i GOMORA
music - trad arr. A. Kuvezin
lyrics - trad
From the Staro Vera (Old Believers) book of spiritual poetry (Stikhi).
In the upper reaches of Kaa-Khem (little Yenisei river), in a deep taiga
there are a few villages where live some Russian Old Believers who escaped
there from the official Orthodox Church pressure in the last century.
Here is their poetic version of the same story from the Bible (Old Testament,
Genesis, Chapter 19).
1997 to 1998 in Tuva Republic, Finland, USA, UK
=====================================================
Martijn Fernig engineered
Ken Sluiter edited
Ian Shaw + Dominic Berthes mixed
Dominic Berthes mastered
Albert Kuvezin arranged songs
Eduard Mezhid translated lyrics
Vasiliy Krivdik + Marek Pytel photographed
Marek Pytel filmed and videoed
George Stone facilitated
Anu Laakkonen + Lu Edmonds managed
Lu Edmonds produced
Special Thanks to
=====================================================
Old generations of Tuvans for beautiful songs and melodies
Families and relatives for waiting (again)
Passport-Visa Service of Tuva "Za Progress", family Iridekov, Ostap + Vanja, Krivdik.
Global Music Centre Helsinki - Jaana-Maria Jukkara, Mikko Saarela,
Kari "problem chok-tir" Hakala.
Yat-Kha is
=====================================================
Albert Kuvezin - yat-kha, guitars, bass, shanzi, khomuz and low kargiraa vocal
Aldyn-ool Sevek - morin-huur, igil and sygyt, khoomei, kargiraa vocal
Zhenya Tkachëv - tüngür, percussion, gongs and stikhi vocal
Special Guests
=====================================================
Steve Goulding - drum-kit
Martyn Barker - kat-drum
Martijn Fernig - little bell
Lu Edmonds (aka Akym) - extra bass, cümbüsh, saz
thanks for support live: Piranha Berlin, Positif Istanbul,
Tempodrom Berlin, Sfinks Belgium
previous CD "Yenisei-Punk"
